Outstanding African Players Who Played in the EFL

The English Football League (EFL) welcomes players from around the globe. Every year, teams playing in the EFL will sign foreign or local players to supplement the needs of their squads. Of some of the players to have played in the EFL, some African players have impressed and left a mark on the league. In this post, we look at some of the African players who played in the EFL.

1. Odion Ighalo

Manchester United’s Odion Ighalo during the Europa League match at Old Trafford, Manchester.

A boyhood Manchester United fan who now plays for the team. Ighalo once played in the EFL Championship as a Watford player. Ighalo, who plays as a striker, managed three goals in eight appearances as a loanee before Watford FC signed him permanently mid-season. In his first season, he helped Watford gain promotion to the Premier League. Ighalo left his mark as one of the few Africans to score a hat trick in the EFL Championship.

2. John Mikel Obi

A towering presence in the Chelsea team that he became all too famous playing for. John Mikel Obi made the move to the EFL in 2019. He would stay with the team for half a season making 18 appearances and managing one goal. John Mikel added a lot of creativity to the Middlesbrough team he was signed for. Additionally, his hunch for midfield defending allowed him to pose a threat to opposition forwards and add solidity to the team.

3. Jonathan Kodjia

The Ghanaian forward is one of the latest African players to play in the EFL. Kodjia, who was once voted the French Ligue Player of the Year, played for Bristol City and Aston Villa. He managed a total of 140 appearances in total for both teams scoring 48 times in the process between 2015 and 2019. Kodjia also helped Aston Villa gain promotion to the Premier League last season. He left Aston Villa in January 2020 to join Al-Gharafa.